Day: March 12, 2011

How Can You Help?

The NRC is getting questions from people who want to know how they can help the Japanese people affected by the earthquake and tsunami. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is encouraging those who wish to help Japanese residents to do so with cash donations to reputable organizations working in the affected areas.

USAID is directing individuals to www.interaction.org for a list of non-governmental NRC staff in HQ Operations Centerorganizations that are responding to humanitarian needs.

In addition, the American Red Cross has established operations to receive donations through text message. Individuals can contribute by texting “redcross” to 90999.”

Eliot Brenner
Public Affairs Director

 

Photo: NRC staff work in the agency’s HQ Operations Center in the days following the Japanese event.

Where to Get Accurate Information on the Japanese Situation

Two NRC officials with expertise in boiling water nuclear reactors have deployed to Japan as part of a U.S. International Agency for International Development (USAID) team. USAID is the federal government agency primarily responsible for providing assistance to countries recovering from disaster.

Even with “boots on the ground” in Japan it’s not appropriate for us to provide information on the status of that country’s nuclear power plants. Check back to this blog or www.nrc.gov for updates on what actions we’re taking. Other good sources of information are:

USAID — http://www.usaid.gov/

U.S. Dept. of State — http://www.state.gov/

FEMA — www.fema.gov

White House — www.whitehouse.gov

Nuclear Energy Institute — www.nei.org

International Atomic Energy Agency — www.iaea.org/press/

For those calling to offer your advice or guidance on how this situation should be handled, rest assured that some of the most expert people in this field in the world work for the NRC and we are here to help if asked.

Eliot Brenner
Public Affairs Director